Improvement in type-distributing machines



Witnesses:

Inventor:

J/WWZM @s /739/00566. ./fszzfed'Zv/afa j lga X H IHF H 'MHI F i y r If* h" O S Y s I m I 'w SP ACH Il Il f HL O I 'O 1| H l F1310 '-1 Same. @s ove l j l gf! L L j "U1 O Il i 3 7L* "ml O fi I wf i c I; a I| r 'l "2. I S 3 5 e w Il l Witnesses: lnvent'or: fvlJL/lw Y z Q BfvemQ/mag UNITED STATES- 1 ATE1Wi 'ORRENY'LEE BROWN, OF BOSTON, MasstrettosETTs;l

IMPROVEMENT IN TYPE-DISTRIBUTING MA c:H|VN"Es.f`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent I No. [00.366, dated March 1, l1870.l

- To all whom it may'concern Be it` known that I, O. L. BROWN, of Boston, in the county of Suiolk and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Automatic Type-Distributer; and-1 dov hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which 'accompany and form part of this speciicatiomis a description Ot' my invention sufticient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

As indicated by the title ot'this specification, the invention relates to an organization of mechanism for taking types as they come from a press, picking out the several letters and characters, and so distributing them that all the types ot' every kind are respectively located in their separate and proper places.

The object of the invention is to obtain a simple' machine (t'or automatically distributing types) that is positive in its operation, easy to understand, not liable to get Ou-t ot' order,and 1 requiresno skill to operate it.V4 v

The types are distributed f by means of' a series ot' tumblers and keys, actuated and operating in accordancc'with the number or' position of nicks in the separate types or characiers to be distributed.

1 line at a time from the lpage ot' types, which' is placed in the galley, and from this line the types are taken letter by letter, and fed to an' intermittently-rotating ring, where lthey are held respectively by sets ot' levers or tumblers, which sets arevplaced at regular intervals, four or more in aset, in slots in the upper side of the listributing-ring, each set ot'levers ortumblers beingl precisely like-every other set, and each tumbler in the set being free to move independently or relatively to the others in the set, so that it makes no difference which set of tumblers receives the type.

' These tumbler-s are so placed that one edge ot' the short arm ot' any one of them may be :pressed into any nick that may have ybeen made (in line with it)`in theparticular type received by it so that'it' atypewith one nick :in its edge is fed `to the ring when the 'tumblers arepressed against'its side, the tumbler g that is opposite vthe nick willv assume a dii'er- Sent position from the others, and the position ,shall be left. y l, y In connection with each set ot' tumblers .there is a follower or ejector, which tforee's out lthe type when `it'reachesitsproper' place. .These ejectors are operated byslides or keys plaeed in slots in the bed of, the machine inside the ring, and lradiating from the center, these keys being placed at regular intervals, corresponding with the positions ot the several ejectors and sets'ottumblerstwhen the f ring is at rest, there being ythe same number ofkeys'as there are ejectors.vv

The number ot' tum blers in eachvsetis governed by the number ot' ldiii'erent letters Athe -machine is intended to distribute-fori stance,.t'our tumblers will allow ot' fifteen combinations, five tumblers will allow otthirty combinations; six will giveV sixty, andso on', It will be obvious, therefore, that'withv a sufficient number of vreceiving-tulnblers, keys,

theV dierent characters which are-commonly used in printing. f

As each letter is forced out by its ibllower it isreceived in one of a seriesot c lnzmnelsY which radiate fromV the ring, the letter'ne-Xt a spring, which presses against' its side, and rprevents its falling into thering'.' `y j j 1t is in a machinehaving this general organization that my invention primarilyico'nslsts. The drawings represent a machine and; the details` of a machine embodying my'improv'ements. p A- -A.

Figure 1 shows the top of themachinewith elevation. L Fig. 3 is a `front elevation with driving-wheel and distributing-ring removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation `with distributiiigringand part of frame-,work removed. Fig.A 5 shows (enlarged) the lifter-plate and` mechan ism adjacent thereto. Fig. 6 shows (enlarged)` the lift-er plate, line follower, brush, and

of this tumbler will` decide where the letter andA channels, the'machines will distribute all the ring;` being held in an upright position 'by n part Ofthe capplate removed. Fig.`2i`s a'rear 2 toetsen springs for removing the'. leads. ls' Fig. 7 illustrates the operation of the pawl for raising the lifter-plate. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the Iiftenplate and spring for removing the leads., Fig. 9 is a side elevation, showing the key-actuator at its lowest position and the lifter-plate at its highest position, the distributing-rng being in motion. FignlO is a side elevation, showing the key actuator at its highest position, the lifter-plate at its lowest position, and the line-follower thrown back to allow another line ot' types to be forced up by the lifter-plate. Figs. 11 and l2 illustrate the action of t the line-follower, 8vo. Figs. 13, 14,

`and l5 are sectional views, illustrating the ac- Vtion of the key-actuator, keys, Ste.

17,18,and 19 are detail views, illustrating` the -action ot' the tum hlers t3, springs w3, &c. Figs.

20 and 2l show the'clutch -for actuating the distributing-rin g, 85e. f. A

a denotes aframe,.supporting upon its top a table or plate, b, this table and frame supporting the operative mechanism.

On one side of the frame, below the levelof vthe table, is a galley, e, upon which the types are placed,lone page o r moreat a time, one side wall, d, of the `galley beingmovable for reception of thedifterent-sized pages, the piece being held in'place by meansot' a setscrew, e.

The types are forced in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, until the front line rests against an end wall,f, and the other end of the types ssupported by a slideor page-follower, g,

connected-to and moved by. a rod, h, whichl i has a rack, t, Fig. 5, cut on its .under side, the

rod being intermittently-fcdiby a pawl,j, (hung to the upper-end of a rightangle lever, 75,) engagingwith this rack, and thus operating thev f slide or follower,the other end ,cf the lever be- -ingsppported by a lifter-plate, Z. Whenthe types are thus pressed forward, thefront line stands vdirectly overl the edge of this liften plate Z, which is just the thickness of the line of types, the top of theplate being slightly bel low the surface of the galley c, and` the plate sliding vertically againstthe end wallf. AAt tached to the lifter-plate is a swing-bar, m, which` is forced out (at proper times) by a stationary' inclinan, Fig. 7, so as tobring astud,

l o,.(projectin g from the swing-piece) into the path' of rotative movement oi a pin, 10, on the side of a cam-wheel, q, on the main driving shaft, the cani-pin raisingthe swing-bar, and with-it the lifter-plate l, to which theswingbar is jointed. as seen in Fig. 7.

The swingbar is held normallyinthe posi- ,tion shown by 4dotted lines in Fig. 7 by a suitable spring, so thatit will not come in, contact with the pin unless itis forced out lby the ineline n, so that if, from any cause, the lifterplate is `prevented from fallin g low enough to allowthe next line of types to ad Vance to its position over the edge of the lifter-plate, t-he swiugbar will not strike the incline, the lifterplate will not be forced up, and no damage will be done.

y rocker-shaft fr. h and, turns `the segmentfpinion y in one direc- When the lifter-plate reaches its highest pointit isvheld by a latch, 1, Figs; 5 and l1. As the lifter-plate is moved up, the line of types that rests on its top edge is forced into a groove or channel just wide enough to receive a single line, the outer end of the line being supported by a line-follower, s, Fig. 6, Vwhich feeds the line along as it is intermittently reduced in length by removal of the types, type by type, from the inner end, as

will be hereinafter explained.

The linefbllower`s is operated by a sliding rack, t, spring Q12, lever fv, and cam w, Fig. 12, the follower being so actuated that there is no pressure 011 the line of type at the time4 each end one isbeingremoved from the inner end `of the line, thus allowing the typesto be separated much more easily than they could be if the pressure existed during the process of re movalof any type.

The operations of the follower and its actuatingmechanism are as'follows: The cam w is located directly under the table b, and turns loosely on a vertical rocker-shaft, x. Near the foot ot' this shaft is a segmental pinion, fl the teeth of which engage with a sliding rack, z, havin g a cam rslot, a2, in to which enters a crankv pin, b?, on one side of a cam-wheel, c2,`on the driving-shaft d2. lAt each `complete rotation of theshaft the pin on the cam-wheel c2 effects acomplete reciprocation of the rack. Under the `cam w isa springclutch or pawl, e2, piv- 'oted tothe,cam,`and the point of this calnpawl engages, at proper times, with two teeth, f2, on a clutch or pawl-wheel, g2, fixed on the As the rack z moves inwardly,

tion, the pawl-Wheel,.in turning, slides under the pawl, and imparts no motion tothe cam w; but as the rack is slid outwardly, and thereby turns the pawl-wheel in the opposite direction, one ofthe teethA of the pawl-wheel engages with the pawlor clutch e2, and carries the cani with it.

There are two cam-projections on the camwheel, diametrically opposite, and two diametrically-opposite teeth on the pawl or clutch t wheel, so that at each intermittent rotative and l toward the center of the cam, thereby permitting the otherartn ofthe lever to move when the spring 2, acting on the pin h?, presses forward the follower-rack t, and with it the linefollower s, the follower beingy provided with a pawhjz, jointed to the follower, the tooth of which pawl engages with the teeth of the follower-rack t, so that the forward movement of the rack carries with it the follower. The object of the spring t2, instead of employing a positive connection of the rack with the lever o, is to permit the extent of the forward motion of the rack to be governed by the thickness of the type.

The rack rests and reciprocates on pins k2 projecting through slots k3 in the rack. At the inner end of each slot is an incline, Z2, and when the rack is moved outward these inclines enable the rack to drop out of connection with the follower-pawl j2 to allow the follower to be moved back for another line, and then the lifter-plate l is forced up, carry ing with it the front lille of types (which has been brought up to the wall f by the pagefollo wer g) and reaches a position which brings the line of types into the channel from whence they are to be removed type by type, the latch r being forced under the lifter by a suitable spring, r", and locking the lifter in its raised position. This latch is hung on a pin, n2, as seen in Fig. 11, and over the pin an arm` o2, projects up from the latch-bar, the top of this arm heilig' in the path of forward movement ofa stud, p2, projecting down from the linefollower s.

As the last type in the line occupying the channel is forced up into position for removal the position of the line-follower causes the linger to strike the arm o2, thereby swinging the latch free from the lifter Z, which is then free to fall, its descent being effected by the bent lever 7c, Figs. 3 and 5, pivoted at r2. One arm of this lever extends into a notch in the lifter,

as seen in Fig. 5, and against its other arm a spring, i2, acts, the stress of this spring carrying the lifter down, (when released from its latein) bringing it into position for the next front line of types to be fed over it preparatory to being raised by it into the channel or groove leading to the distributer.

The descent of the lifter eects the back or mtward movement of the line-follower, that presses the types toward the distributer, as follows: A lever, t2, pivoted as seen in Figs. 9 and l0, carries at the end of one arm a rod or springwire, u2, the upper end of which is slipped through a projectionw?, von the follower. The other arm of the lever has at its end a finger, which projects under the lifter, or a shoulder upon the lifter. When the line of types has been fed or nearly fed out tothe distributer, the lever t2, follower s, &c., are in the position shown in Fig. 9, and when the lifter descends it actuates the lever t2, and causes it to slide back the follower, as seen in Fig. l0.

'lhe upper arm of the lever chas jointed to it the springpawl j, as seen in Fig. 5, this pawl engaging with the rack t' on the under side of the rod It that moves the page-follower g, to which it is attached. Normally, or while the types are being fed to the distributer, this pawl is not in engagement with the rack, but is held back, as seen by the full lines in Fig. 5, the lever k, when the lifter is upheld by its latch, retaining the pawl in this position. But when the lifter descends to receive a new line of types the movement of the lever throws forward the pawl, and as the pawl-point reaches the rack it isl pressed up against the same by its spring, and, engaging with same tooth of the rack, it feeds forward the rod l1J and page-follower g attached thereto, and this follower feeds the page of types forward, bringing the front line of types over the lifter, in position to be raised into the channel, as before described.

Upon the descent of the lifter lthe incline on the galley prevents the pawl j, as it advances, from coming in contact with the teeth of rack t until the proper period, in order that vthe follower g shall not advance the page until the top edge of the lifter-plate is below the surface of the galley.

As the pawl is jointed to the lever, and the upper arm of the lever rests against the spring, it will readily be seen that in feeding thepage of types forward the pawl can yield in accordance with the thickness of the types. When the front line of types is thus brought over the lifter, and the instant the pin p on the cam-wheel g begins to raise the lifter the action of the lifter on the lever kdraws back the pawl, and thereby relieves the types from the pressure of the follower g, so that the lifter has no friction to overcome of the other lines -of types against the front line.

The lifter is arranged to sink slightly below the surface of the galley, and this pressure upon the types is, therefore, taken away before the lifter reaches the bottom of the line of types to be raised. n

It will be observed that the spring i2 is so arranged that its greatest stress is exerted when the pawl j is engaged with the teeth of the rod It to move forward the types upon the galley. lt will also be observed that the outward movement of the line-follower and the downward movement ofthe lifter are effected together, and the former by the latter, so that if by any accident the line-follower cannot run back to the end ofthe channel, then the lifter cannot descend far enough for its swing-har m to be thrown by the incline n into position to be raised by the pin of the cam-wheel q.

Having thus described the mechanism for feeding for'ward intermittently and succes-v sively the page of types in the galley, so as to bring each line of type in succession over the lifter, the mechanism for lifting each line in succession into the channel for the action ot' the channel or linefollower, by which the line is pressed toward the type-distributing mechanism, and the devices operating as adjuncts to these operations, it remains to describe the mechanism by which each type is taken singly v and conveyed to its proper destination.

At the inner end of the channel a shallow groove is made in the adjacent edge of the table, and the face of a plate below and flush with the back of this groove furnishes a wall against which the inner type ofthe line is pressed by the line-follower. ln vertical line A tween the inner` end of such `with the end of the channel, and sliding against bedistributed, (in cross-section.) This tongue is shownin Figs. 6 and 19. It is fastened at its-lower end to the outer end ot a long arm, b3, fixed to and extending from a central and vertical shaft, c3.. When this tongue is at its lowest position its tip or point is below the channel, and the end type is carried and stops directlyover it. At each rotation of the main shaft the tongue'is raised, and pushes up the single type resting upon it, carrying such type into position to be removed by the distributer-rin g. rlhe vertical shaf't c3 is supported in suitable bearings, and is connected by a iink, d3, to a wrist-pin on a crank-wheel, e3, at the inner end of the driving-shaft, and as the driving-shaft rotates, the vertical shaft is reciprocated vertically, carrying with it the arms b3 and tongue a3. The single type raised by the tongue is carried above and out ofthe type-channel and into some one of a series of mouths or openings, f3. made in the periphery of distributer-ring g3, the bottom of the type heilig carried slightly above the bottom of the ring gwhere it is held by a linger, k3, (befinger and the outer end of a slide or type-ejector, 13,) for the action of. the selecting-levers or tumblers of the distributing-ring. y

This ring sets into a wide circular groove made in the top of the table b, as seen in section in Fig. 14, and the ring is intermittently and rotatively moved as follows: At the top of the rocker-shaft a: is a cam-wheel, fw, (as before described,) from the top ofwhich wheel ,extend two pins, h3, which work inslots i3 on the under side ot' the ring g3. At each rotation ofthe driving shaft one of these pins, en-

V gaging with some one ofthe slots i3, imparts a rotative movement to the ring one space, Vor a distance equal to the distance between. two adjacent type-followers, Z3, the cam-wheel-being then held stationary by the lever fv, while the Clueb-wheel rotates back with therockershaft a', bringing the clutch-pawl e2 into e111- gagementwith the opposite tooth or notch,

Awhen the next forward movement of the `rocker-shaft and clutch-wheel (produced by the next rotation of the driving-shafttwill again moveforward the distributingwheel or ring g5. n v

As before observed, the type raised by the tongue is held by a finger, k3, and type-ejector l?, the tongue descending as soon as the type is brought into position between the finger and ejector. rlhis finger is vfixed to the top of a vertical rocker-shaft, m3, Fig. 3, having fixed toit an arm, n3, from which a pin, o3, projects y into a cam-groove in the periphery ot' the camwheel q on lthe drivingshaft, and at each rotaiiouofthe driving-shaft this finger first takes the type, and, when the type is grasped by 'the distri lmtiiigtuinlilers, then moves.out wardly from the ring, leaving the ring free to rotate. Above the channel is a brush, p3, the bristles of `which project into the groove` into which the type is pushed, the bristles yielding to let any single type of any thickness pass, but preventing more than one type passing, should more than one ever be started up with the tongue. Thel ring g3 has a series of radial slots, g3, opening out to the periphery of the ring, and also opening, at its innerface, into aspace, r3, between the inner surface of the ring and the perimeter of a cap, s3. 1n these slots are located the several sets of selecting orindicating levers or tumblers, (by which the types are selected in accordance with the character of each,) and the type-ejectors` Z3, between the ends of which and the finger k3 the types are held forthe action of theselecting levers or tumblers, and by each of which (when the selected type is brought opposite to its appropriate channel by rotation of the ring g3) the type is ejected from the ring. Euch space in the ring is devoted to one of these sliding typeejectors l? and one set of selecting levers or tumblers, t3. t

rlhe levers of each set are fulcrumed on a vertical-pin, a3, and between each two adjacent levers isa stationary washer-plate, v3, which, though free to move vertically, is con- `fined from lateral movement within its slot by the wall of the slot. The levers and washer plates in each slot are held together by aspring w3, (held by a nut, j3,) the bottom lever resting upon the part of the distributing-ring at the bottom of the slot, and, as the levers are moved upon their fulcrums, they are held in position by `friction between the levers and washers. .In normal position, or as each set of tumblers approach the tingerla, their edges adjacent to their slide or type ejector Z3 (near their outer end) are against the slide, or enter corresponding grooves in the adjacent face of the slide, and, as each set of levers comes into line with theend of the tinger 7c3, these lever edges are thrown back from the `slide, and then again forward toward it, as

follows: 1n radialline with the end of the finger is a cam cr wheel, a, mounted on the top otl a vertical rocker-shaft, b4, to which is imparted an intermittent and reciprocating` rotaryl motion, as follows: a piniomc, which engages with the teeth of ,a horizontal rack. d4, from the opposite` side of which a pin projects into a cam-slot, e, in the face of the cam c2 on the driving-shaft. On the edge ofthe camywheel a4 is a cam or Wiper, g4, and just as the ring stops this is brought, by (movement ot the rack d4, against the tailends h'1 ofthe tumblers t3, as seen in Fig. 16,

forcing them all back, and thereby carrying the edges adjacent to the slide lsaway from the slide and into a vertical plane, forming a vertical space between the edges of the tumblers and thewall i4 of the slot g3, and infront of the end of the ejector 1,3, the ejector being held back by a hook, 7a4., on its inner end, hooking over a flange, l, on the cap s3. The type having then been fed up into the ring g3,

Near the foot of theshaft is (one for each tumbler,) projecting from the cam-wheel, as seen in Fig. 17 These springs, moving the tumblers, carry their front ends toward the ejector Z3, and against the edge of the type, the edges of such tumblers as are opposite to nicks in the edge of the type being forced into such 'nicks by the action of the springs, as will be readily understood.

Theinner arms of the tumblers are much longer than the outer arms, and as thetumbier-edges thus enter the type-nicks their inner arms will, of course, be thrown much farther out of line, as seen in Fig. 17. Having thus moved the tumblers, (in accordance with the number and position of the type-nicks,) the rack d4 again starts forward and moves the springs away from the tumblers, leaving them in their new position, (in which they are held by friction,) the springs retreating into, or nearly into, the edge of the cap, as seen in FigLlS, so that both the cam g4 and springs m4 are out of the path of movement of -the tail ends of the tumblers. The ring then moves on, carrying with it the type held between the tumblers, the face of the ring-slot and the end of the ejector Z3 bringing the next set of tumblers opposite to the linger k3, and bringing the type-holdin g tuinblers opposite the first of a series of radial channels, o, leading from the ring out over the table b, as

seen in Fig. 1, the outer end of the ejector Z3 being exactly in line with vthe channel, which is of the width of the type, and has a depth sufficient to hold the type in upright position against any suitable guide. In this position ofthe ring the hook lot at the end of the slide is in line with an opening in thev flange of the cap, which opening permits the hook to move out through the ange, so as to bring the end of the slide ilush with the peripheryfof the ring. Under the central cap s3 is a series of radial slide-plates or keys, q, (one for each operative set of tumblers,) sliding radiallyv through a vertical slot cut in a peripheral ring o f the cap. Each key is formed as seen in Figs. 13 and 14, having at its inner end a .bent arm, r4, depending from it, the arm being bent outwardly, as seen in said figures, and the lower end or point of the arm standing normally just within 'a vertical line drawn from the circular edge of a sharp-edged flange or incline, s4, projecting up from the base of a hollow cone or key-actuator, t4, fixed on the top of the vertical sliding shaft c?. The inner surface of the flange is vertical and the outer surface inclined, as seen in Fig. 14. At the upper end of the cone its inner surface inclines inwardly, as seen in Figs. 13 and 14. When the cone is rising each key is pressed outward by a spr-ing, a4; but if the outer end of the key strikes any obstruction at the periphery of the cap the foot of the arm r4 is kept inside of the edge of the ilange s, and therise of the cone imparts no motion to the key, the

`arm passing inside of the flange; but if the end of the key meets no obstruction, the foot of the arm passes beyond the circle of the edge of the incline, and as the cone rises the incline strikes the arm r4, and moves the end of the key far enough beyond thel periphery of the cap to eject the type from theY distribating-ring, the key being thus moved positively to eject the type, but only needing the pressure ot' a slight spring to indicate whether or not it is to be so moved. When the cone Amovement of the ring ceases, and forcing out the keys, while the ringv is stationary and having`thus forced out the keys the cone is drawn down by the descent of the slide-shaft, (as the driving-shaft continues to rotate,) the descent of the'cone taking place while the ring is still at rest, and all the thrownout keys being drawn inward (to their normal position) in such descent of the cone, their inward movement being effected by the inner surface v4 of the cone coming in contact with the arms r, bringing them into the position shown in Fig. 13, as described. lhe outer end of each key has a lip, fw, projecting up from it, and when the keys are drawn in, each lip @c4 is in con centric line with the flange of the peripheral ring of the cap s3, and in the space inradial line with the ejector, and as the ring moves forward, the 'nook of each outer ejector Z3 hooksi over the nearest lip, or the lipis brought into a slot of which the hook forms the inner side, as seen in Figs. 13 and 14.

Now, if, when the key is moved radially outward by the cone-ring t4, the end of the key meets with no obstruction, the lip will strike the front surface of the slot, and will push out the ejector L3, causing it tov eject the type from its front end into the channel in line .with the slide. If thc type have no .nicks it will be readily seen that the tnmblers will stay in the positions into which they are removed by the cam g4, and in this position their tail ends are all on one side'of the end of the key which is Aopposite the first channel when the ring stops.

nicks in all and any of the types, thereare in y,

each ring-slot four tumblers, (which are rela-V tively disposed by the springs m4 in accordance with the number and position of the nicks in any type brought to ,them,) so there are to each key indicating-notches zo, so relatively disposed in the end of each key that to each position into whichthe several tumblers are carried, in accordance withy the nicks on the face ofthe types, there is a corresponding key, the notches of which being in position to allowthe end ofthe key to pass beyond the adjacent ends 'of the tumblers, the key moves outward, pushing before it the ejector and ejecting the type.

Figs. 13 and 14 show the notches at the end ot" one of the keys. If, when the typeholding tumblers come opposite the rst key, the tumblers have been displaced by reason of the nicks, their ends will be in the path of vto the displaced or nick-entering tumblers,

and when the ring reaches this position the key will move outward and the type will be ejected.

The type, when ejected into the channel o4, is pressed between a spring, a5, and the opposite wall of the channel, the spring holding itin erect position, or from falling over against the distributing-ring, and each channel is provided with a suitable sliding block, against which the line of types is supported while in the channel. uted types are delivered into any suitable receptacles. l

To remove leads placed between any adjacent linesof types in the page fed over the galley to the lifter l, the face of the lifter is provided with two spring catches or hooks, b5, as seen in Figs. 6 and 8. Each spring sets in a notch in the face of the lifter, and the stress of the springs is so slight that the contact of the line of types with the face of the lifter is sufficient to press the catches into the slots or beyond the face of the lifter. These catches therefore never disturb the movements of the types. As the leads are narrower than the length of a type the catches are placed at such position as to just come over the top of the lead, and if any line of types being fed to the distributer has next to it a lead the catches hook over the top of the lead, and as the lifter descends 'to take the next line of types the hooks take down with the lifter the lead and discharge it under the galley, while if no such lead is present the line ot' types presses the springs back into' the face ofthe follower.

Thus it will be seen that the machine effects the distribution of leaded as well as solid matter.

From this description it will be obvious that all types (formed with nicks suited to the acg tion of this machine) may be correctly and ments of the mechanism are positive, where positive action is necessary, and that the From thechannel the distrib' ii i 100,366

number of selectingtumblers and receivingy channels which may be employed.

It will Ialso be seen that, the machine heilig entirely automatic in its action, no skill is required to effect the distribution.

The details of construction and arrangement of mechanism may, of course, be varied without departure from the essence of the iuvention; but the specic organization shown is considered best adapted to the work to be accomplished by the machine.

Lhave described the distributer as aring having an intermittent rotative and progressive movement. `The distributer may be made oblong,'however, and have an endless chain of tumbler-slots, Ste.; or it may be made straight, and have only a rectilinear movement, operating to distribute in moving in one direction, and sliding back to repeat such operative movement. The circular ring, however, is considered the best adapted to the work to be accomplished.

I claim- 1. In a type-.distributing machine, a distributing-ring or type receiver having a system of indicatingtumblers, carriedV by the typereceivers, the members of each set of which, coming in direct contact with the nicks in the edge of the type, indicate by such relative position the point at which the type is to be removed from the ring.

2. In a type-distributing machine, the arrangement of tumblers and sets of tumblers type is directly seized in succession by one of the sets and held while being conveyed to its` proper place of ejectment.

3. In combination with the type-seizing and indicating tumblers t3, type slides or ejectors Z3 and keys g4, by which each type is thrown-from the machine.

4. Ihe combination of the lever lo, pawl j, and spring i2, or their equivalents, for operating the page-follower, substantially as described.

5. In combination with such page-followeractuating mechanism, mechanism for automatically throwing the pawl out of action with the follower-rack when the line of types is being fed into the channel. 6. 'lhecombination of the swing-bar m, crank-pin p, and incline u, operating to raise the lifter, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the devices named in the last preceding clause, the latch r, bent lever 7c, and its spring, for automatically et'- fecting the release and fall of the lifter, sub-f stantially as described.

8. In combination with lifter l, for bringing each line of types into the follower-channel, the rack t and follower s, for feedingv into the edge of the distributing-ring, suby stantially as described.

9. The rack t, by which the line-follower vs is automatically moved forward, (carrying before it the types,) and latch i", combined with the lifter l and lever t2, by which the follower is automatically moved back after the' line of types is exhausted, substantially as described.

10. AThe combination of the reciprocating shaft c3 and arm b3, for imparting the vertical reciprocating movements to the tongue a3, (which carries each type up into the ring,) substantially as described.

11. An intermittently-moving type-distributer, having a series of slots, each containing one set of the selecting-tumblers and ejector-slide, substantially as shown and described.

12. Giving to the ejector such an extent of. inward movement, by means of key g4, as to form a vertical groove in front of it, be tween the tumblers and the side of the slot in the ring for reception of the type, substantially as describe 13. The finger k3, by which the type is held until the tumblers move against it, substantially as described.

14. For effecting the movements of the vslide keys, the key actuator or cone t, substantially as described.

15. In combination with the keys and keyactuator, the springs a4, substantially as described.

16. In combination with the lifter l, the

spring-catches b5, for removing the leads, sub- I stanti ally as described.

17. In combination with mechanism forraising each type into the distributer, the brush 103,0peratin g substantially as described.

18. A type-distributing ring, having an intermittent rotating movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

19. The combination, with a revolving typedistributing ring, of a pin working in radial grooves in the ring, to impart to the ring an intermittent motion.

Signed November 4, 1869.

FRANCIS GoULD, S. B. Kronen. 

